Chennai: Surrendered Dheenadayalan looted temples

Chennai: Antique dealer Dheenadayalan, 84, wanted by police for his suspected links in idol smuggling surrendered at the idol wing office on Saturday.

He  appeared before the idol wing inspector general of police A. G. Pon Manickavel after the police team promised not to arrest him if co-operated in the probe under the provisions of CrPC 41-A.

“He will appear before the probing team for at least 15 days,” a senior idol wing officer said. Police team had already seized as many as 71 artifacts in stones, 41 panchaloha idols and 75 ancient paintings from the house of the suspect besides arresting three of his aides during last five days. Total worth of seized antique items is estimated to be around Rs 40 crore.

Dheenadayalan, who had links with international idol smuggler Subhash Kapoor now languishing in jail, had been doing antique business since 1965. “Four years ago he decided to make his business a low profile one and closed his Aparna art gallery. He had moved all artefacts to his bungalow in Alwarpet. But he continued his business of smuggling. He lived in Andhra Pradesh for some time,” a member of the probe team told DC.

Sources indicated that he could have identified abandoned ancient temples and offered to rebuild it with granite stones. In the process he removed ancient stone structures to his gallery. “We need to verify it,” an officer noted.

“A painting of Eswaran (lord Shiva), at least 150 years old, which went missing from a mutt near Chinnasalem was found in his collection.  Another majestic painting of Raja Kulasekhara Varma, was also there. We don’t know if it was done by Raja Ravi Varma,” an officer noted.